Dinosaur Game, also known as T-Rex Game, Dino Runner, Chrome Dino, Offline Dinosaur Game, and internally at Google under the codename Project Bolan, is not just a hidden mini-game in the Google Chrome browser, but a notable cultural phenomenon of the digital age. Anyone who has ever been without internet has seen the pixelated tyrannosaurus on the screen and, by pressing the space bar, sent it running through the desert. The game is built directly into the browser and appears at the very moment when there is no internet connection, turning an annoying pause into a short but engaging adventure.
Over time, Dinosaur Game achieved cult status: it is known worldwide, its image regularly appears in pop culture, and the number of games played reaches millions every day. The story of this runner’s creation is full of witty jokes and curious details, and the game itself has taken a special place among arcades thanks to its accessibility and the charm of retro style.
The history of Dinosaur Game
The origin of the idea
The running dinosaur game appeared in 2014 thanks to the team of designers and engineers at Google Chrome. Early that year, Chrome UX specialists decided to find a way to make the moment of losing connection less frustrating and even somewhat amusing for users. The solution was an Easter egg — an endless runner built directly into the error page.
The character was not chosen by chance: the developers jokingly noted that the absence of internet was like returning to the «prehistoric era», and that the main character should logically be a tyrannosaurus running through the desert among cacti. The visual design was also kept in retro spirit: pixel graphics reminiscent of 8-bit games were already used in Chrome illustrations for various system messages and fit harmoniously into the overall style.
The team and the codename
The authors of Dinosaur Game were designer Sebastien Gabriel and his colleagues Alan Bettes and Edward Jung — all from the Chrome user experience team. Within Google, the project was humorously given the codename Project Bolan in honor of Marc Bolan — lead singer of the 1970s rock band T. Rex. The name referenced two things at once: the figure of the T-Rex and the retro spirit associated with glam rock of that era. During the concept phase, different animation options for the character were discussed — for example, the possibility of comically moving its legs, like the famous blue hedgehog in a popular 1990s game, or roaring at the start. However, the team decided to keep minimalism and maintain the old-school arcade style: the movements were deliberately made «blocky» and at the start limited to two actions — running and jumping.
This approach allowed the player to focus on the process itself, without distracting effects, and gave the game that simple yet expressive dynamic that quickly became its signature feature. Today, this runner is considered one of the most famous and recognizable Easter eggs in Google Chrome.
Launch and early problems
In September 2014, the finished game was quietly introduced into Chrome as a hidden Easter egg. The developers deliberately avoided loud announcements, expecting users to discover the new interface element themselves when the browser could not load a page. On the standard error page with the message «No internet connection» a pixelated dinosaur appeared, standing still against the desert background as if waiting for a command. To bring it to life, all one had to do was press the space bar — and the character began running through the desert.
No official announcement of the novelty followed, but one of Chrome’s engineers, François Beaufort, still gave a mysterious hint. In his message, he did not reveal details but merely suggested that «there is a dinosaur, and it is waiting». This short hint sparked the community’s interest and encouraged users to look for a way to start the game themselves.
The first version, however, was not perfect: on some devices, especially older Android smartphones, the game worked unstably — the animation lagged, the controls responded with delay, and sometimes the launch did not happen at all. For Edward Jung, Chrome UX engineer, this was his first experience in game development, and he had to not only optimize the project but also essentially rewrite a significant portion of the code to ensure smooth operation.
By December 2014, the updated version was already running smoothly on all platforms — both desktop and mobile. Compatibility issues were resolved, graphics optimized, and control responsiveness improved. From that moment, Dinosaur Game firmly became part of Chrome’s standard features, and Google effectively acted as its publisher and distributor, spreading the game together with the browser worldwide. Even after all shortcomings were fixed, the developers kept the atmosphere of secrecy — the dinosaur continued to «wait» on the error page until the user gave the start signal.
The evolution of the game
Although the main concept of Dinosaur Game remained unchanged — run and jump over obstacles as long as possible — over time the developers introduced several notable additions. In the initial version, the dinosaur only had to overcome cacti, and the controls were limited to running and jumping. In 2015, a new enemy was added — flying pterodactyls — which made the gameplay more dynamic and challenging. At the same time, a new action appeared — ducking to avoid a bird flying at a dangerous height.
In 2016, Dinosaur Game introduced a day-night cycle: the background began alternating between white and black, imitating day and night. If the browser had the light theme selected, upon reaching about 700 points the game switched from daytime (white) graphics to nighttime (black); with the dark theme, the opposite occurred. The next switch happened around 900 points, and so on, creating a regular change in lighting. This technique diversified the visual perception and added an element of surprise to the monotonous desert landscape.
In 2018, the game celebrated two events at once: its fourth anniversary and the tenth anniversary of the Chrome browser. On this occasion, a festive Easter egg was added: a cake could appear in the desert, and if the dinosaur «ate» it, a party hat appeared on its head. That same year another feature appeared — record synchronization through a Google account. Now the player’s best results were saved to the profile and displayed on all devices where Chrome was launched, which added a competitive element and made it easier to track personal progress.
In 2020, the developers released a special update for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, which had been postponed due to the pandemic. At a certain moment, the player could pick up the Olympic torch, and the T-Rex transformed for a few seconds into an athlete — swimmer, surfer, runner, and others, depending on the mini-event. At the same time, the level also changed: instead of cacti and pterodactyls, thematic obstacles corresponding to the chosen sport appeared. These Olympic inserts brought new life to the familiar gameplay and became one of the most memorable temporary features.
In the following years, Google continued from time to time to add small improvements. In 2021, widgets were introduced in the mobile versions of Chrome for Android and iOS, allowing the game to be launched directly from the device’s home screen without opening the browser and waiting for a no-connection page. In 2024, the company experimented with an unusual AI version: players could use a sprite generator to create their own variations of the dinosaur based on a text description. This experiment did not last long, but it showed that even after years the developers still found ways to surprise the audience.
Popularity and distribution
Since Dinosaur Game is built into one of the most widely used browsers in the world, its audience was enormous. In the first years after its launch, the developers watched the statistics with amazement: according to Edward Jung, the game was played about 270 million times a month worldwide — and that was only in the official Chrome version, not counting the numerous fan-made clones. A significant share of players came from countries with expensive or unstable internet, such as India, Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia. In these regions, users faced disconnections more often and therefore launched the dinosaur more frequently to pass the time.
The growth in popularity was so rapid that unexpected problems soon appeared. Corporate administrators began to complain that employees at work were being distracted by the game, and students, instead of studying, tried to beat their own or others’ records. In response, Google added a special option allowing Dinosaur Game to be disabled at the organizational level. If the administrator activated this restriction, when the connection was lost, the browser still displayed the error page with the motionless dinosaur, but attempts to start the game failed.
Fans also contributed greatly to its popularization. Over time, dozens of unofficial «ports» of Chrome Dino appeared — both as standalone websites and as mobile apps. Thanks to this, it was possible to play even without the Chrome browser. Nevertheless, the official version remains available free of charge and without ads: it is enough to have Chrome or any other Chromium-based browser installed.
Interesting facts about Dinosaur Game
- The joke about millions of years and the score limit. From the start, the developers built into Dinosaur Game a practically unattainable end, just like in other classic endless runner games. When asked if the game could be «completed», Google responded ironically: «We set a limit so that it would take about 17 million years — about as long as tyrannosaurs lived on Earth». In practice, the game has no final level: it continues until the player’s first mistake. Nevertheless, enthusiasts discovered that the score counter does have an upper limit — 99,999 points. If more are somehow achieved, it simply resets to zero. Reaching this honestly is impossible: as the dinosaur’s running speed increases, the intervals between obstacles shorten, and most players lose long before reaching it. Thus, the dinosaur cannot be «defeated» in the literal sense — and this fully matches the concept, since the game was designed from the beginning as an endless runner.
- A meteor instead of the game. Chrome contains a hidden joke that is triggered when an administrator has deliberately disabled Dinosaur Game. This situation is common in corporate networks and educational institutions, where the game can distract employees or students. If the browser policy prohibits launching the Easter egg, when trying to start the game, the familiar desert scene remains, but instead of the dinosaur moving, a meteor appears above it. Nothing can be done — the game does not start. This small animation not only visually signals the block but also plays on the hypothesis about the dinosaurs’ mass extinction caused by an asteroid impact. This «apocalyptic» hint was a subtle and witty joke, understandable both to IT administrators and attentive players.
- A dinosaur monument in the real world. The pixelated T-Rex from Dinosaur Game became so beloved that a real monument was erected in its honor. In 2022, in the village of Gyulagarak (Lori region, Armenia), a Chrome Dino sculpture was installed in the recognizable pixel style. The figure was placed in a park area and immediately drew attention: the hero, whom millions of people were used to seeing only on a screen, now appeared as a street statue. The monument became clear evidence that the developers’ joke had taken material form and become embedded in cultural memory. Amusingly, the sculptors placed next to the dinosaur a cactus typical of the game, so the entire composition looked almost like a still frame from the gameplay. Tourists and locals gladly take photos with the dinosaur, once again proving that even a simple browser game can leave a noticeable mark on pop culture and become a symbol of the digital era.
- Cameo in «The Simpsons». The popularity of the offline Chrome Dino game is also evident in the fact that it appeared in the cult animated series «The Simpsons». The premiere episode of the 34th season (2022) began with an original couch gag — the characteristic introduction where the family runs to the sofa. This time, Marge, Homer, and the children ran through a desert styled after Dinosaur Game: pixelated cacti appeared on their path, a score counter ticked in the corner of the screen, and in the background played an 8-bit version of the famous Simpsons theme. At the end of the gag, Homer tripped over the last cactus before the sofa, after which the typical «Game Over» message appeared, and he exclaimed his classic «D’oh!». This scene was a direct and recognizable reference to the game’s loss screen. The parody in one of the world’s most famous TV shows emphasized Dinosaur Game’s status as a cultural symbol, instantly recognizable to millions of viewers worldwide.
- The Dino Swords modification. Fans and independent developers have repeatedly experimented with the Chrome runner, creating their own versions and variations. The most famous unofficial project was the Dino Swords modification, released in August 2020 by the American creative teams MSCHF and 100 Thieves. At first glance, the game looked familiar: the dinosaur ran through the desert, overcoming obstacles. But now weapons appeared — swords, guns, medkits, as well as time-slowing pills. The player could collect these items and arm the T-Rex, which seemingly made the run easier. But in reality it was harder: incorrect use of the weapons could harm the dinosaur itself. For example, an unsuccessfully thrown spear could hit the hero and end the run. This humorous modification brought an element of chaos into the familiar gameplay and attracted the attention of both gamers and the gaming press. The appearance of Dino Swords was clear proof of Dinosaur Game’s popularity: it inspired the creation of a separate project with its own mechanics. Google also occasionally experiments with the dinosaur’s image — adding party hats, thematic animations, or temporary events like sports mini-games — but only enthusiasts have so far dared to arm the T-Rex in such a radical way.
The history of the offline Dinosaur Game is an example of how a simple side experiment can become a cultural phenomenon of global scale. Born as a playful Easter egg intended to brighten minutes without internet, the game has gone from a hidden browser function to a recognizable symbol of the digital age, familiar to both children and adults worldwide. At its core are references to the past: pixel graphics, minimalism, and the spirit of classic arcades. At the same time, it is a product of the present, an era when the internet is almost everywhere, and its sudden absence has become a reason for irony.
The Chrome dinosaur clearly shows that for a game to succeed, it does not need complex mechanics or high-budget graphics: a good idea, humor, and accessibility are enough. In a logical and cultural context, Dinosaur Game is valuable because it brings back the joy of simple games and develops attention, reaction, and perseverance. It is a kind of digital «exercise for the mind and reaction», presented in a concise yet expressive form.
Years later, Dinosaur Game has not lost its relevance and still brings joy to millions of players. Anyone can try their hand as the agile T-Rex — free of charge, without installation, and even without internet, simply by launching Dinosaur Game in Chrome on a computer or phone. In the next part, we will explain in detail how the game is structured, outline its rules, and share useful tips. If the dinosaur’s story has inspired you, now is the time to learn how to control it and perhaps set your first record.